Overview

The Neuroscience Observation Area, or NOA, is a step-down unit for patients who have had any number of neurological issues. This 12 bed unit is designed for patients who require more intensive monitoring than the regular neuroscience wards provide.

Visiting Hours: During this stressful time, visiting with family and significant others is important to the patient’s well-being. However rest is an essential part of the healing process, particularly for brain injured patients. Therefore we ask you to respect visiting hours. To protect patient confidentiality we ask that you not visit during change of shift or outside of visiting hours.

Visiting is welcome during these times:

10am until 1:30p.m
3p.m. to 6 p.m.
8p.m. until 9:30 p.m.

These hours help the nurses and doctors to meet the patients’ needs in the early morning as well as doing a thorough assessment and giving nursing care. We also ask that only two visitors be in the unit at a time. Others may wait in the family waiting room. Please keep your visits brief and change off with those waiting to see the patient. Please do not wait outside the patient’s room.

Children Visiting: Please discuss the appropriateness of children visiting with your nurse. Children can be easily frightened in this environment. Our housekeeping staff members work diligently to keep our unit clean, however, children are at greater risk of becoming infected with bacteria common to hospitals.

Flowers/Balloons: We do not allow flowers, balloons, baby powder or scented products in our unit due to allergies of staff and patients. Visitors wearing scents may be asked to leave.

Designated Family Member: Our goal is to give the best nursing care possible to our patients. Answering the phone numerous times throughout the day distracts us from being able to meet that goal. We thus appoint one family member to whom we will provide all updates of information. It is up to this person to inform the other family members and friends and keep them updated.

Patient Phone: We have one patient phone which can be plugged into the bedside of any patient. If you call the NOA unit we can then set up a phone at the patient’s bedside and transfer your call.